The biggest problem with "Mank" comes from its formal contradiction. On the one hand, the texture of the picture is deliberately made old, and on the other hand, the directing skills are extremely modern. The 21:9 format, the lens movement that can only be achieved by Steadicam, all constitute a formal separation.
The text is amateurish from every angle. Even the most common biopic screenwriter wouldn't write a movie that requires readers to look up background material to understand it. The character of Mank is basically missing at the beginning and end of the movie, and the growth of the character is basically missing. The screenplay with high eyes and low skills indulges in cynicism, and it does not even reach the average level of the annual mass production of Chong Ao Ba Gu.
Photography shoots ps film against digital, and it turns out that both benefits are lost: neither the ultra-high dynamic range of "Roma" digital photography, nor the charming film grain of "Cold War". The photographer of this film has only shot American dramas before, and he may have tried his best to overcome technical difficulties to make it like this.
Compared with "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", Quentin has built a solid group portrait, a believable atmosphere and an abundance of emotion. And "Mank" is clearly lost in self-righteous preaching.
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